Core C - Shared Laboratory Resources Core C will centralize and maintain quality control for parasitological and immunological procedures required by the five Projects that comprise the Center, so that the efficient use of equipment and reagent resources is maximized. This includes coordination, performance and monitoring of all work related to parasitological, immunological, nucleic acid and recombinant protein-related procedures, immunological analyses, and bioinformatics analyses among the Projects and the Data Management Core. This Core will also be critical for research capacity building with regard to data sets such as those arising from DNA, gene expression, and protein microarray experiments done in the US (at UCSD and UC Irvine, respectively) because of lack of availability in Peru or Brazil. Analysis of these data sets will be carried out by Project leaders in collaboration with the Bioinformatics unit of Core C, under the direction of Professor Mirko Zimic. This core will centralize collection and handling procedures for biological specimens, register and collation of assay results, transfer and diffusion of acquired technology and will also provide the environment for laboratory-based training for University students, postdoctoral trainees, and visiting investigators.